Los Angeles Kings versus Edmonton Oilers’ first-round series is one of the most hotly-anticipated in the 2023 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Everyone expected it to be a hard-fought battle, and the teams certainly delivered in Game 1.
But, ultimately, it was the referees and review staff who became the focus of the controversy thanks to a goal that many thought shouldn’t have been.
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Going into the game, many were watching Drew Doughty, who claimed he had plans to “smack around” Connor McDavid if given the chance, seeking revenge for an incident between the Oilers captain and Kings youngster Mikey Anderson.
However, in the end, it was Alex Iafallo who had the last laugh, thanks to an overtime goal that resulted in the Los Angeles Kings winning the first game.
Edmonton Oilers record (’22-’23): 50-23-9, 109 points
The issue is not with the goal itself, as the tic-tac-toe is a perfectly viable and legal play, but instead with the penalty that caused it. The Kings were down 2-0 going into the third period, and then down 3-1 before eventually mounting a comeback that saw them force overtime.
In the extra frame, the referees assessed Vinnie Desharnais a very questionable tripping penalty against Blake Lizotte just under halfway through the extra frame. Iafallo’s goal came on the subsequent power play.
Many observers of the game both dismissed the call, saying that Desharnais was just falling, and blasted the referees for missing a very similar play by Anze Kopitar, who did not get a penalty. The Edmonton Oilers and Los Angeles Kings are slated to play one more game in Edmonton on April 19, before heading to California for the next two.